


Just Friends

by UnusuallyZealousBurgette



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Breakup, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Femslash, HP: EWE, Hurt/Comfort, Implied eighth year
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-03
Updated: 2017-12-03
Packaged: 2019-02-10 07:31:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,101
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12907143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UnusuallyZealousBurgette/pseuds/UnusuallyZealousBurgette
Summary: Ginny has her whole life planned out with one person: Harry Potter. She thinks they've got it all worked out together, but, when Harry decides he wants to uproot her life, what she really needs it a friend.





	1. Chapter 1

It was third year that Ginny first met Luna, this wide-eyed Ravenclaw with the most peculiar radish earrings. As she walked down the first floor corridor one day, on her way to Defense, the blonde just happened to drop an armload of books in front of her as she stumbled over a tripping jinx. The girl stared wondrously down at her feet and a boy laughed from the corner.

Concerned, Ginny ran up to her and began to gather her things, asking if she was alright, but the girl simply bent down and picked something off the floor.

“I said, are you alright?” Ginny repeated, brows furrowed. The girl opened her palm and shoved it towards her. Furled up inside was a small caterpillar with green fur.

“He's lovely, isn't he?” The girl’s voice was sweet and high-pitched. Struck with shock, Ginny affirmed, “I- uh- suppose so?

“Here. I picked up your books. This copy of… Mystical Waterland Creatures might be a bit damaged. Along the spine that is.”

“Oh. Thank you, I'd hardly noticed I'd dropped them.” the pale blonde placed the caterpillar back onto the floor- to the side, away from harm- and took her books back. The boy who’d tripped her began laughing again, but oddly enough she didn't seem to notice that either.

Ginny did though, and fixed him with a glare. She stared for a moment, at the blonde’s face, until something clicked in her mind. “You're in my Defense Against the Dark Arts course, aren't you? I'm Ginny.” 

“Luna.” She smiled, “Would you like to walk with me?”

Again, Ginny found herself surprised, “I would love to.” And, as the girls walked off together, her wand slipped from beneath her robes and pointed into the corridor’s corner. The boy screamed but, this time, neither seemed to notice.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed please leave a kudos and a comment telling me what you think (I do allow constructive criticism), I'd really appreciate it!
> 
> You can also find me on Tumblr @UnusuallyZealousBurgette.


	2. Chapter 2

Ginny was in the back corner of the Gryffindor common room with Luna, practicing charms as was their Thursday night usual. The two sat with their chairs untucked from the large desk and facing each other instead. Their knees were pressed snugly against each other's and their right and left hands entwined and fiddling thoughtlessly as they used their left and right hands to cast. It was as platonic a position as could be in typical girl fashion, or at the very least typical Luna fashion.

A wispy blue smoke burst from Luna’s wand and clouded Ginny’s face. She blew the smoke from her, coughing. Luna raised a thin eyebrow questioningly.

“Did it work?” Luna asked as she leaning forward. Her watery eyes blinked owlishly.

Ginny opened her eyelids and looked around, but could see nothing. Luna could see that her pupils were clouded and grey.

Rubbing her right eye with a lead-stained fist, Ginny responded, “It did. Wow Luna, this is your strongest one to date!”

“I'm glad,” The girl smiled, “I only hope I can reverse it now.”

“Hope?”

“I certainly hope so as well, Luna,” said Harry as he squatted at Ginny’s feet gazing into her blinded eyes, “How else would Ginny be able to make her way onto a professional Quidditch team? You know I can't have an ‘ordinary’ girlfriend, Lovegood.”

Luna giggled as Ginny swatted at the air around his bicep, growling, “Potter!”

“Don't worry too much Harry,” Luna assured, “I think I'll manage.” She then raised her wand, scrunching her nose into a button. “Revisify!” she spoke and flicked her wrist sharply. Ginny flinched back and bit down to contain her yelp.

“Jeez Luna,” She said, rubbing her eye once more, “Your counter is still a bit-”

“-Hard?” Harry interjected. 

Ginny landed him with a glare. “That doesn't even make sense,” then turning away from her boyfriend, “It’s still too _abrupt_. I think you need to flick your wand more lightly.” Ginny’s fingers circled the girl’s wrist, moving it slowly in a twisting motion. 

Harry’s foot tapped impatiently. He licked his lips and blew a breath. “Merlin, If I'd have known you were such a bloody nerd when we’d first started dating…”

Standing, Ginny said, “You would have what? Harry James Potter.”

“Ginny, he's only joking.” Ron turned from the sofa by the fireplace a raised a hand towards his sister.

“Oh I'm sure he is Ronald, and will he still be joking while he sleeps alone throughout the whole of next month?”

As Ron’s face bloomed a rosy red, Ginny placed her hands on her hips and sauntered towards her boyfriend, a devilish smile on her lips.

“No, I won't be,” Harry replied, pulling Ginny flush against him and dipping her extravagantly, “Because I won't be sleeping alone.” Harry pressed his lips against her’s and snogged her deeply.

“Hey mate! That's my sister!” Ron cried. Harry pulled away and put the girl back onto her feet.

“Sorry?”

“No, no,” Ron covered his eyes with both palms and began to ascend the staircase, “It's fine. Absolutely fine. I'm just going to go, erm, Obliviate myself. I'll live, I suppose.”

Ginny snorted and lightly slapped Harry on the cheek while still within his arms. Luna rose from her seat behind them, a small grin still playing on her face. “You too really shouldn't fight so, even if you do makeup. It upsets the Nargles.

“Anyway, I'd best get back to my tower. I'll see you tomorrow Ginny. Harry.”

The girl rose up to her full height and took leave of the room with a small room, leaving them alone together. The fire crackled on the opposite end and shone off the iridescent red wallpaper. Ginny untangled herself from Harry’s arms and ran a hand through her hair.

“So, now that you've interrupted my study sesh’-”

“-Which was going nowhere anyway-”

“-Do you at least have some good news for me?”

“Like what?” Harry asked.

“Like,” Ginny said, rolling her eyes, “News about how you rejected the team from Bulgaria? Really, tell me all about! You haven't had the chance sense you got back. Did you spit in their faces? Curse their Quidditch grounds? I want all the juicy details!” she rubbed her hands together mischievously.

But, Harry’s shoulders slumped awkwardly and his hand rubbed up and down his neck. “Er, about that.”

“Yes…” Ginny urged eagerly. She gave Harry a small shove of the arm, “Come on, don't be embarrassed. They were ridiculous to ask you to leave England anyway, right?”

As Harry averted his eyes and stays silent, panic sets in. “Right?” Ginny said, a bit louder now.

Harry caught Ginny by the arm, leaning down to look into her eyes, “Look Ginny, let's not talk about this right now-”

“No,” she said, snatching her arm back, “I want to talk about this now. What are you hiding?”

Harry threw his arms into the air, “I'm not hiding anything!”

“Fine,” Ginny stepped closer, crossing her arms over her chest, “Then answer my question.”

Harry backed away, “I don't even remember your question.”

“Are you leaving England?”

“I don't want to talk about this right now.” He made a path to the boys dormitories.

“Are you leaving England?” she gritted out.

“I don't want to talk about this!” 

“Harry Potter, answer the bloody question!”

Harry found his foot grazing the bottom stair and stepped down. He threw his hands into his tangled hair, “Yes! Okay? Planning on it?”

Ginny’s heart dropped from where it had sat in her throat with a resounding thud. She blinked incredulously, “You were planning on it?”

“Yes!”

“Wh- well then what were you planning for us!” the girl sputtered.

“I… hadn't got that far,” Harry admitted.

Ginny let out a self-deprecating laugh, “Of course. Isn't it just like you to make life altering decisions _without_ the girl you plan on marrying?”

“Oh, come on Gin,” He made to take her hand into his, but she pulled quickly away. Harry sighed, “Let's talk about this later.”

“Later?” Ginny scoffed, “Everything is ‘later’ with you! Let's talk about this later, let's decide this later, let's plan our entire future bloody _later_! I thought you wanted to be together! I thought you wanted me to be able to live out my dreams and not just watch _you_ from the sidelines?!”

“I do want that!” Harry said.

“Well you haven't shown as much.”

His fists bunched up at his sides. “Fine then!” Harry cried, “How about we just don't?”

Ginny’s face fell, “What?”

“How about we don't get married; how about we don't date at all? Since you're _so_ bloody fucking unhappy!”

“Harry-”

“No, we've tried! I've tried!” Harry pressed a hand to his chest, “It's not working! It's not going to work!”

Ginny took a step back, her feet nearly failing her, “You- you're serious? You want to break up?”

“Ginny all we do is fight and make up. Do _you_ want to keep doing this?”

Then her feet did fail her, and Ginny found herself in a slump on the floor. Harry sighed and hesitated before deciding to sit down on the floor before her. She noticed tears spilling from his eyes as well.

“Why can't we make this work?” Ginny cried hoarsely.

“I don't know,” Harry whispered, wrapping his arms around her shaking figure, “I don't know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed please leave a kudos and a comment telling me what you think (I do allow constructive criticism), I'd really appreciate it!
> 
> You can also find me on Tumblr @UnusuallyZealousBurgette.


	3. Chapter 3

As Ginny crept down from the stairs the next morning, she knew she wasn't the same. She could feel it. It hurt to plaster on a fake smile in the mirror that morning, but no one seemed to notice.

She slumped down on the sofa, gazing into the flickering flames as her stomach growled. She could feel the stares sliding down her back.

“Hey Harry!” 

Ginny swore the turn was instinctual and not purposeful when she saw him climbing down the stairs. His eyes were bloodshot, but that's she only thing she noticed before he tore his gaze away and slunk out of the common room. No one spoke, only whispered. She turned her head back to the flames and watched them flicker, eyes wide with unshed tears.

 _Three years,_ Ginny thought, _three whole years I was living under that illusion, of us being together._

A weight dipped the cushion next to her’s and Ginny felt a body pressed up against her. She was about to turn and tell the person to, very kindly, _fuck off_ , the words were on the tip of her tongue, but bony arms wrapped around her and pulled her close. Ginny’s breath hitched.

Luna’s earthy scent soothed Ginny’s senses and, for reasons that she couldn't explain, she didn't fight it. She leant into the blonde’s arms.

“I heard what happened,” the girl offered.

Ginny sniffled and pulled back. “Yeah, seems like everyone did.”

Luna fixed her with an odd look, then hoisted the girl up by the arms. “Come on,” she said, and could not be willed to stop as she continued to pull Ginny back up the stairs and into to her dorm. When there, she sat the girl down on the bed and wrapped a blanket around her, then lifted a finger, “Wait.”

Luna searched around until she found a brush, which Ginny had to admit she found a bit odd, and sat behind her friend, legs practically wrapped about her waist. She took her matted hair into hand and began working out knots gently.

“Okay. Now we can talk. Tell me about it.”

“ _Luna_ , you don't need to do thi-”

“ _Ginny_ ,” she said, “I can tell you need to talk. There are all kinds of Wrackspurts roaming your head.”

The rounded bristles massaged Ginny’s scalp; Her nose and eyes tickled and she held her breath for a moment, “It's just, my future relied so much on him for a long while, and I'm sure his did too. Everything was planned out… now I'm just-” she bit down on her tongue, “-Everything's just- a mess!”

Sobs wracked Ginny’s body and she doubled over into her hands. Legs circled her waist as Luna dug her head into the girl's neck. She spoke into her skin, “You're not a mess, especially not just because you've lost Harry. You've got career opportunities, you'll be fine.”

“Yes, but it was never about supporting myself. The load would have been easier with two, but I'll manage fine. The problem is I'll be _alone_.”

“Ginny you’ll never be alone,” Luna whispered, “You've got me.”

The girl pressed a gentle kiss to Ginny’s neck and her eyes watered. Ginny almost froze in the arms of her friend; her _best friend._

“I can leave... if you please?”

“No! No.” Ginny wiped a tear from her cheek and held onto Luna as she held onto her. “Please, stay.”

“I'll stay. I'll always be here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed please leave a kudos and a comment telling me what you think (I do allow constructive criticism), I'd really appreciate it!
> 
> You can also find me on Tumblr @UnusuallyZealousBurgette.


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